Origin and tradition
Regional history, how the tea is shared, and the difference between documented practice and a good origin legend.
Tea across place, craft and culture
Tea, honestly told.
Explore teas and herbal infusions through origin, history, drinking traditions, flavor, brewing, and carefully scoped research. One useful profile at a time.
A daily ritual · countless traditions
Read with confidence
How evidence appears here
Tea research is often broader than a named style and rarely predicts the contents or effects of one cup.
Category evidence
Research about green tea, black tea, or an herb is labeled as category-level unless the exact preparation was studied.
Limits and safety
We state uncertainty, distinguish beverages from extracts, and avoid individualized medical recommendations.
50 documented profiles
Tea & infusion library
A broad representative collection across green, white, yellow, oolong, black, pu-erh, dark, and herbal traditions. Search by name, origin, flavor, or category.
Explore by geography
Tea origin map
See how this collection is distributed across countries and regional tea traditions, then open the profiles connected with each place.
Collection coverage
9 origin groups
Select a marker or country to see its regions and tea profiles. Multi-region herbs are kept separate when one defensible agricultural origin cannot be assigned.
A visual reading key
Four leaf shades, two practical axes
Card color combines caffeine context with the cup’s dominant flavor character. It is a browsing aid—not a mood, energy, strength, or health score.
Bright / floral → Deep / roastedCaffeine-free → Caffeinated
Fresh meadowBright / floralNaturally caffeine-free
Autumn orchardDeep / roastedNaturally caffeine-free
Tea leafBright / floralCaffeinated / variable
Roasted forestDeep / roastedCaffeinated / variable
Green
Sencha
Japan · Steamed, rolled, dried
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Gyokuro
Japan · Shade-grown, steamed, rolled
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Matcha
Japan · Shade-grown tencha milled to powder
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Longjing (Dragon Well)
China · Pan-fired and pressed flat
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Gunpowder Green
China · Pan-fired and rolled into pellets
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Genmaicha
Japan · Green tea blended with roasted rice
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Jasmine Green
China · Finished tea scented with blossoms
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableWhite
Silver Needle
China · Young buds withered and dried
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableWhite
White Peony (Bai Mudan)
China · Buds and young leaves withered and dried
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Tieguanyin
China · Partially oxidized and tightly rolled
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Da Hong Pao
China · Oxidized and roasted rock oolong
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Oriental Beauty
Taiwan · Bug-bitten leaves, relatively high oxidation
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Assam
India · Fully oxidized; orthodox or CTC
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Earl Grey
Blend; base tea varies · Black tea scented or flavored with bergamot
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variablePu-erh
Raw Pu-erh (Sheng)
Yunnan, China · Sun-dried, compressed and aged
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableHerbal
Chamomile
Cultivated widely · Dried flower heads infused
Fresh meadow · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Hibiscus
Tropical and subtropical regions · Dried calyces infused
Fresh meadow · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Rooibos
South Africa · Leaves and stems usually oxidized then dried
Autumn orchard · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Spearmint
Cultivated widely · Dried leaves infused
Fresh meadow · Naturally caffeine-freeGreen
Bancha
Japan · Later-season leaves steamed, rolled, and dried
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Hojicha
Japan · Finished green tea roasted at high heat
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Kukicha
Japan · Stems and twigs separated from finished tea
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Kabusecha
Japan · Partially shade-grown, steamed, rolled, and dried
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Biluochun
Jiangsu, China · Pan-fired and hand-rolled into tight spirals
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Huangshan Maofeng
Anhui, China · Young leaves pan-fired and shaped
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Lu’an Guapian
Anhui, China · Mature leaf blades de-stemmed, pan-fired, and shaped
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableGreen
Chun Mee
China · Pan-fired and rolled into eyebrow-shaped leaves
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableWhite
Shou Mei
Fujian, China · Mature leaves and buds withered and dried
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableWhite
Moonlight White
Yunnan, China · Large buds and leaves withered and dried, often indoors
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableYellow
Junshan Yinzhen
Hunan, China · Bud tea lightly oxidized through wrapped yellowing
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableYellow
Mengding Huangya
Sichuan, China · Buds pan-fired and repeatedly wrapped for yellowing
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Dong Ding
Taiwan · Rolled, partially oxidized, commonly roasted
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Baozhong (Pouchong)
Taiwan · Lightly oxidized, twisted, usually lightly roasted
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Jin Xuan
Taiwan · Rolled and partially oxidized; roast varies
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Phoenix Dan Cong
Guangdong, China · Single-bush or named-cultivar leaves oxidized and roasted
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableOolong
Wuyi Rou Gui
Fujian, China · Rock oolong oxidized and roasted
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Darjeeling
Darjeeling, India · Seasonal orthodox tea; oxidation varies by flush and producer
Tea leaf · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Ceylon Tea
Sri Lanka · Usually fully oxidized; style varies by elevation and district
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Keemun
Anhui, China · Fully oxidized and carefully fired
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Dianhong
Yunnan, China · Large-leaf tea fully oxidized, often with golden buds
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Lapsang Souchong
Fujian, China · Black tea traditionally dried or smoked over pine
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableBlack
Nilgiri
Nilgiri Hills, India · Usually fully oxidized orthodox or CTC tea
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variablePu-erh
Ripe Pu-erh (Shou)
Yunnan, China · Sun-dried tea pile-fermented, dried, and often compressed
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableDark
Liu Bao
Guangxi, China · Post-fermented dark tea, basket-aged
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableDark
Fu Brick Tea
Hunan and Shaanxi, China · Post-fermented compressed tea traditionally cultured with Eurotium cristatum
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableHerbal
Peppermint
Cultivated widely · Dried leaves infused
Fresh meadow · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Yerba Mate
South America · Leaves and stems dried, sometimes smoke-dried, and aged
Roasted forest · Caffeinated / variableHerbal
Honeybush
South Africa · Leaves and stems usually oxidized and dried
Autumn orchard · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Lemongrass
Tropical regions · Fresh or dried leaves and stems infused
Fresh meadow · Naturally caffeine-freeHerbal
Ginger Infusion
Cultivated widely · Fresh or dried rhizome sliced or crushed and infused
Autumn orchard · Naturally caffeine-freePractical, not prophetic
Brewing tools
Use these for repeatable preparation and transparent estimates. Each tool explains its assumptions.
Brewing recipe scaler
Scale a tea’s starting leaf, water, temperature, and time ranges.
Gongfu session planner
Build a tea-specific sequence without exceeding its suggested infusions.
Altitude & boiling point
Estimate water’s boiling point from a standard-atmosphere model.
Caffeine comparison
Compare editable beverage ranges without pretending a cup can be measured remotely.
Specific gear picks
Start with proven essentials
Three current picks are shown here; the verified foundation shortlist includes six across four shopping categories.
Best everyday value
Electric kettles
COSORI 1.7 L Glass Electric Kettle
The straightforward value pick when you mainly need fast boiling water, auto shutoff, and a wide opening for cleaning.
Best controlled-pour value
Electric kettles
COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle
Five presets, stainless-steel water contact surfaces, controlled pouring, and a 60-minute hold make it useful across tea styles.
Best full-size variable temperature
Electric kettles
Cuisinart PerfecTemp CPK-17P1
A 1.7 L kettle with six presets and keep-warm control for households brewing several tea categories.
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